The Smoking Age Around The World

Posted by Alex L. on Dec 26, 2014

The sale of cigarettes and other tobacco related products has a state regulated purchase age in 50 states. This law was adopted on April 1, 1998. Forty six of the fifty states have the minimum purchase age of 18. Alabama, Alaska, New Jersey, Utah, and state of New York have specific counties (Nassau, Suffolk, and Onondaga). The intention of this specific law was to prevent olderhigh school kids from purchasing tobacco products for the younger crowd. As of 2004, legislation was pending for this particular law, however in Massachusetts parents or guardians are allowed to give tobacco products to their minor children, but the sale of tobacco products to minors is still prohibited.

Other Countries Smoking Laws

Other countries have smoking laws that are very similar to the United States. The country of Canada has most of its providences requiring the age of 19 to be permitted to purchase tobaccoproducts. Prairie providences and Quebec have the same laws as the U.S., the age must be 18 years old. The interesting fact about this law is it purchasing tobacco products is permitted, but not the usage of the tobacco products. In this area, Alberta does have a strict law for any person under 18 purchasing or using tobacco products is subject to a $100 fine. Australia, New Zealand, Poland, and Pakistan all have a nationwide ban on selling tobacco products to anyoneunder the age of 18. If you live in Luxemburg or Greece, smoking at the age of 16 is permitted and allowed.

Each individual part of the world has their own smoking restrictions, and they all seem to evolve as the opinions of using tobacco products creates new concerns. The one main law that seems to remain the same is the age of smoking has an average worldwide of being the age of 18.